Name of the Game: Writing Closet-How Much?

Short today guys. And just a little anecdote,. I wasn't going to write today, but I changed my mind, because today at work someone asked me a question. It's something every writer gets asked, but something I never though about before--until today.

"How many hours do you spend writing a day?"

.....You know, I never really worked it out. Writing for me isn't just sit at a computer and type. It's plotting in my head; and scribbling on notecards, in notebooks(with my awesome "writing" fountain pen!!!) and my phone; and create playlists; and muttering conversations to myself while I shelf read and put books on shelves( a. yes, those are two different things, and b. yes, I do it all the time--and get really weird looks). All this in addition to actual "writing"--that is, putting words on the page to form them into a story.

Anyway, she asked me this question and I didn't really think about if before I answered:

"Five or six hours."

Yes.

That is what I said.

And later today during my commute I really thought about that answer, and all the other things listed above. You know, it's the truth. I do not go to sleep because I'm too busy writing. I have to sent a loud timer at work when I'm on break cause I'm too busy writing. I've almost been late for work(and other things) because I'm too busy writing.

And ok, it's not five or six straight hours. It's consecutive. Two hours here; an hour and a half there; maybe a whispered twenty minute dialogue(see above). Which is SO helpful, especially, as previously mentioned, I have to work on several projects at a time. Yes, it's a "have to" kind of thing.

But, that's one of a writer's vices, isn't it?